Drivers commonly encounter obstacles—such as potholes, rocks, fallen branches, and other debris—in the roadway when driving their vehicles. In certain instances, a driver may find it practically impossible to swerve around an obstacle in the vehicle's path or stop the vehicle before it hits the obstacle. For instance, a driver who is driving on a rainy night may recognize a large tree branch in the vehicle's path too late to practically swerve around the tree branch or to stop the vehicle on the wet road surface before colliding with the tree branch. There is a continuing need for new and improved systems that enable a vehicle to avoid an obstacle in the vehicle's path when the vehicle cannot practically steer around the obstacle or stop before hitting the obstacle.